Self-retaining cuff link



Jan. 16, 1940. A BULLQCK 7 2,186,955

SELF-RETAINING CUF 'F LI NK Filed Feb. 17, 1938 INVENTOR g I! {p ATTORNEY 4 BY M Patented Jan. 16, 1940.

time" stares SELF-RETAINKNG CUFF LINK Frederick A. Bullock, Attlehoro, Mass, assignor to Dolan a Bullock 00., Providence, R. 1., a corporation of Rhode Island Application February 17, 1938, Serial-No. 190,938

1 Claim.

My present invention relates to the jewelry art, and has particular reference to an improvement in the construction of cuff links.

It isthe principal object of my invention to provide a construction for a cult link which will retain the cuff link in one cuff end when removed from the other cuii end.

It is another object of my invention to form the retaining means integrally with the cuff construction, whereby interference with insertion or withdrawal of the cuff button from the cuff is minimized.

It is an additional object of my invention to provide a simple construction which does not increase the cost of manufacture.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in view, my invention consists of a novel arrangement of parts, more fully disclosed in the detailed description following, in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, and more specifically defined in the claim appended thereto.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a perspective View, illustrating the novel cuff link construction;

Fig, .2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the locking engagement of the cuff link, the movable head being in vertical position;-

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a modified construction; I

Fig. 4 is a side view of Fig. 3, the movable parts being in the position shown in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of another modification.

It has been found desirable to construct a cuff link which will readily be insertable through the usual button holes in the cuff ends, and which will" not fall out of one cuff end when the other cuff end is detached. I have devised a construction in which I have provided separate means for retaining the cuff link in one cuff end, this construction being so arranged as not to interfcrewith the insertion and removal of the cuff link from the cuff ends.

Referring to the drawing, the novel cufi link It includes a body member l 3 having two spaced arms i2, 3, a head it being mounted at one end of the body member and preferably fixed thereto as by riveting, soldering, or the like, and a sec- 0nd head l5 being mounted at the other end of the body member between the arms l2, l3, and being selectively movable to positions at right angles to the body member, as illustrated in Fig. 1, or in the same plane, as illustrated in Fig. 2; any standard form of cam and spring arrangement being utilized for releasably retaining the movable head in selected position.

When the cuff link is removed from one cuff end, the movable head assumes the position shown in Fig. 2, and'the other head, which may be relatively heavy, then exerts a pull on the cuff link which tends to pull the cuff link through the button hole of the other cuff end and thus release the cuff link entirely.

I have therefore formed the two arms l2 and it with re-entrant portions 16, see Fig. 1, by cutting or otherwise shaping the arms l2, l3,

these re-entrant portions providing shoulders or teeth ll which engage with the sides of the button hole in the cuff end, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and prevent accidental or unintentional separation or removal of the cufi link from one cufif end. The formation of the teeth l't in the arms l2 and 13 does not interpose any additional resistance to the passage of the cud link parts through the button hole, and yet effectively prevents accidental separation, as explained supra. I If desired a mechanical barrier may be used, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, in which a movable member IB is pivotally mounted between the arms l2 and 53 adjacent the lower end thereof, whereby the movable member I 8, which although shown in the form of an oval shell may be of any other form such as a disk or the like,

is swingable to the position shown in Fig. 3v

to position the barrier on the other side of first cuff end, thus preventing accidental separation,.

separation of the cuif link from the cuff. This construction, like the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, does not involve the use of any additional parts, anddoes not add materially to the cost of manufacture and of assembly. The parts in the described embodiments are preferably of stamped metal.

While I havedescribed specific constructional embodiments of my invention, it is obvious that changes in the size and of the shape of the parts and in the use of different materials and metals for the partshaving the necessary strength and 5 rigidity, may be made to suit the requirements for different cufl link designs, without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

I claim:

In a cuff link, a body member having two spaced arms, a head secured to one end of said member and adapted to engage the outside of a spaced from said one end and adapted to engage 5 the inside of a cuff end.

FREDERICK A. BULLOCK. 

